This invention relates to a device for threading knit articles onto the pin holder ring of a linking machine.
As is known, a linking operation requires that the articles involved be threaded onto the pin holder ring of a linking machine.
The operation is a high-cost one because it implies a particularly accurate procedure and the availability of highly qualified personnel for inserting adjacent loops of the knitwork onto adjacent pins on the linking machine ring.
The manually performed operation is both difficult and expensive to complete, and methods and devices have been developed which are directed to expedite the knitwork threading.
Known are for example random threading devices for knitwork, which require a comparatively orderly arrangement of an article onto the pin holder ring without, however, involving true alignment of the knitwork loops with the pins, thereby an inferior quality product is obtained over a properly carried out linking operation.
In particular, where the linking operation relates to application of hems to processed articles, the critical aspect of the threading step concerns the moment a hem is placed on the pin holder ring, because it is only at this time that, to achieve a high quality product, it is necessary to provide for alignment of the knitworks by threading adjacent loops onto adjacent pins in the pin holder ring, since on completion of the product only an outer face is left in view.
In consideration of the hem producing machine allowing the hems to be threaded automatically onto a comb-like element in an orderly fashion, i.e. providing the cited alignment of adjacent knitworks, machines have also been developed to feed linking machines designed to process knit articles in the open form, which cannot, therefore, be used in practice where pre-formed articles are to be processed which have, for example, ring-like hem application regions.